In a recent development, the Union Government has announced to assign additional charge of Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to senior IAS officer and Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
An order issued by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet read, “The Competent Authority has approved the assignment of the additional charge of Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training to Ajay Kumar Bhalla IAS (AM:84), Union Home Secretary with immediate effect and till the appointment of a regular incumbent or until further order, whichever is earlier.”
A 1984 batch senior IAS officer, Bhalla handled charges of being the Secretary Power and have succeeded Rajiv Kumar Gauba in August 2019.
In September, 2020, Bhalla is given an additional charge for DoPT for a few months. He also got another year of extension in service on August 12 as he was to retire on August 22, 2021, following the first extension given to him on October 17, 2020, ahead of his scheduled retirement in November 2020 after completing 60 years.